The 16th EU-Ukraine Summit will take place in Brussels on 25 February. The Summit will be hosted by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council and José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. Ukraine will be represented by President Viktor Yanukovych.

The Summit takes place at a defining moment in EU-Ukraine relations. On 10 December 2012 the Foreign Affairs Council adopted conclusions on a sequenced policy of engagement with Ukraine. In order for this policy to bear fruit and to enable the possible signing of the Association Agreement by the time of the November Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, Ukraine needs to undertake determined action and show tangible progress by May at the latest in three key areas: i) appropriate follow-up actions for the 28 October 2012 parliamentary elections; ii) addressing the issue of selective justice and preventing its recurrence; and iii) implementing the reforms set out in the jointly agreed Association Agenda.

In pursuing the common objective of Ukraine’s economic integration with the EU, the leaders’ discussions will encompass issues such as macro-economic stability, public finance management, the improvement of the business and investment climate and trade issues. The leaders will also review the state of play as regards the EU’s financial and technical assistance and the cooperation in the fields of energy, in particular the modernisation of the Ukrainian Gas Transmission System, energy sector reform and the implementation of Energy Community commitments. On the issue of mobility, the leaders will discuss progress in the implementation of the Action Plan on Visa Liberalisation and the state of play as regards the conclusion of an amended Visa Facilitation Agreement.

Over lunch, the leaders will exchange views on topical international and regional issues, including as regards Ukraine’s priorities for its OSCE Chairmanship in Office in 2013.

Commenting on the eve of the summit, President Van Rompuy said: “This summit takes place at an important moment in our relations. There is now a historic opportunity to make a breakthrough in EU-Ukraine relations through the possible signing in November of the Association Agreement with its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. But signature will only happen if Ukraine now seizes the opportunity by taking determined action and making tangible progress on the three areas of EU concern: follow up to electoral shortcomings, addressing the issue of selective justice and progressing on general reform agenda. The core part of the summit will be focused on the necessary steps to create the right political circumstances and I hope that the summit will confirm an unequivocal commitment to them”.

President Barroso said: “Ukraine is an important partner of the EU. Our relations are broad and our common aim is the political association and economic integration of Ukraine with the European Union. The blueprint for the further development of our relations – the Association Agreement and its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas – is in front of us and the steps and criteria for its signing are clearly defined. Decisive action and concrete reforms that consolidate the values and principles of the Association Agreement within Ukraine are necessary. We will use the Summit to renew our joint commitment to this agenda.”